In anticipation of today's celebration of Earth Day, I was happy to take part in a webinar with my friends at Paraclete Press. As you'll see in the video here, we read through my book "I Am Earth's Keeper" and then talked about simple ways to celebrate care for our common home. If you haven't yet read the book, this is a great way to have a sneak peek at the beautiful artwork by award-winning Italian illustrator Giuliano Ferri. As always, I'm happy to come virtually to your parish group or classroom to read this book or my other children's books aloud. Feel free to reach out if you're interes ..read more

Today, on the first "birthday of "I Am Earth's Keeper", I'm asking you for a favor: will you please help me celebrate I Am Earth's Keeper? Here are a few ways you can help: Buy the book! You can find it at Paraclete Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and even on Audible. Review the book :) Leaving an honest review or a star rating (especially at Amazon) truly helps the author. Share the book. If you don't need a children's book yourself, perhaps you can donate it to a school, an organization in your community, or your local library. Tell a friend. If you've read this book and would recommend ..read more

So many of you have checked up on me in recent weeks to offer prayers and well wishes. I thought it might be fun to resurrect my "Update from the Ball Chair" posts that I was doing during the pandemic to bring friends up to speed on some of the personal and professional development in my life. As I find myself regaining strength, my work has picked up and I have several exciting projects underway. Here are a few brief updates. Health and Wellness Update As I type this update, it's been 231 days since my twelve-hour surgery in March. I sort of count March 29, 2023 as the official start of my c ..read more

New in theaters from award-winning Directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, The Mission is a complex documentary from National Geographic Documentary Films. It follows the life and death of American missionary John A. Chau who died at the age of 26 attempting to deliver missionary teachings to the Sentinelese, an indigenous people living in voluntary ..read more

I’m automatically interested when a film features either Jamie Foxx or Tommy Lee Jones. When I heard that The Burial, a new release from Amazon Studios, featured both Academy Award-winning actors, I couldn’t wait to see it. And I’m happy to report that I wasn’t disappointed. Synopsis: Inspired by true events, when a handshake deal ..read more

Today, I continue my ongoing series with awesome storytellers creating fantastic projects as I'm joined by Carolyn Weber, the author of a fantastic book that's at the heart of the new film Surprised by Oxford. This highly anticipated film features cast from The Crown, Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, and The Morning Show and will have a limited theatrical release on September 27 and October 1. I loved prescreening this film and can't wait to see it on the big screen. Click through to read my conversation with Caro ..read more

Releasing today in theaters, the new Amazon Studios film A Million Miles Away is as full of heart as our galaxy is full of stars. It's a remarkably engaging story of the power of one man's dream and the many ingredients that go into helping that dream come true. Click through to read my full review of this family-friendly film from Amazon Studios ..read more

This week, my latest "book baby" made its very quiet launch into the world. My fourth project with my friends at Paraclete Press, I Am Earth's Keeper is different and unique in ways that both delight and terrify me. I have so many people to thank for their help with the book. First and foremost, I'm grateful to my friend David Knowles, whose beautiful photograph of a quiet Mississippi morning sparked my imagination. I'm also truly grateful to my friend and mentor Maria Morera Johnson and my incredibly talented son Adam Hendey for helping me to understand the meter challenges implicit in writi ..read more

I wanted to update everyone since so many of you have kindly checked in on me in the last week. When it gets quiet here, it's because I'm focusing intensely on rest and recovery. Things are really feeling so much better! Six weeks into my new cancer medications, my body is still adjusting to their side effects. I still have some issues, but I am learning how to manage them more effectively. I've also spent the last week trying to wrap my mind around the Diabetes (Type 2) diagnosis. Humongous gratitude to every one of you who has shared recipes, resources, and encouragement. I will be seeing th ..read more

A few weeks before Christmas, I took a walk along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. At several points, I stopped to marvel at the surfers atop humongous waves, the seabirds perched on the cliffs, and the incredible bounty of natural beauty. It’s devastating to see the destruction now happening there and in so many ..read more